International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has said the global digital economy is growing faster than global GDP and it is expected to reach 16.5 trillion U.S. dollars by 2028.

The Secretary-General of ITU, Doreen Bogdan-Martin, who disclosed this, yesterday, at the opening of the 2025 International Submarine Cable Resilience Summit in Abuja, stated that the past two decades had seen a vast digital shift, with new socio-economic opportunities and challenges.

Bogdan-Martin observed that the global undersea network was emblematic of the innovation and the investment required to connect the world meaningfully, stressing that as economies and digital innovations grew, and as we sought to bring meaningful connectivity to all, reliance on digital infrastructure would also grow, like submarine cables.

According to her, as digital transformation continues to reshape the global economy, the undersea cable networks that form its foundation require renewed attention, especially when it comes to resilience, adding that cables are built to operate for around 25 years, and reliability has always been a top priority.

She said: “The entire economies feel the impact of these disruptions to cable service. Submarine cables are put in place by an interplay of technology, business, and policy that has to be considered holistically. That’s why this summit includes a diversity of stakeholders that are essential to this conversation.

“We also see this diversity in ITU’s very own global membership and our new advisory body on cable. The advisory body will provide best practices for governments and industry players so that we can ensure timely cable deployments and repairs, improve service continuity, and reduce the risk of disruptions.”

The ITU scribe stated that by anticipating risks, the global community could better prepare for swift, coordinated action in response, adding that the strategies had to be environmentally responsible if they were going to be truly sustainable.

In his remarks, Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, said the resilience of the submarine cable network directly impacts economies, security and digital inclusion globally.

He observed that the submarine cables form the backbone of global digital connectivity, carrying over 95 per cent of international traffic, linking continents, and enabling the smooth operation of modern economies.